Stay For Dinner

(9781761211966)

Theme/topic: Culture

Suggested learning area: AC9HP2P01 (Health and Physical Education – Year 1,Year 2), AC9HP2P02 (Health and Physical Education – Year 1,Year 2), AC9HP2P03 (Health and Physical Education – Year 1,Year 2),

Stay for Dinner by Sandhya Parappukkaran is a vibrant celebration of cultural diversity and the connections made through shared meals. The story centres on a family preparing a special dinner for their child’s friends, offering a glimpse into various mealtime customs and table manners (AC9HP2P01 – Years 1 and 2, Health and Physical Education). Through the lens of this dinner, the book explores the emotional responses and questions that arise from cultural traditions (AC9HP2P03 – Years 1 and 2, Health and Physical Education), encouraging children to embrace diversity and appreciate the richness of different cultural backgrounds (AC9HP2P02 – Years 1 and 2, Health and Physical Education).

The narrative is brought to life with vivid sound and imagery words such as “squish,” “splash,” “slice,” and “prong,” capturing the sensory experience of the meal. Culinary terms like “papadum,” “sadhya,” and “dumpling” add authenticity and depth, inviting readers into the world of diverse cuisines. As the main character reflects on her and her friends’ mealtime experiences, the story underscores the importance of understanding and respecting different customs, fostering a sense of togetherness and mutual respect.

With its rich illustrations and heartwarming themes, Stay for Dinner inspires children to find joy in sharing meals and traditions, highlighting the value of friendship and cultural appreciation.

RESOURCES BUY

Curriculum Alignment:

These AC codes are suggested purely based on the book’s content and are provided for reference only.

AC9HP2P01 9.0 (Health and Physical Education Year 1,Year 2): Describe their personal qualities and those of others, and explain how they contribute to developing identities

• describing the personal qualities of characters in stories and how they are similar to and different from their own
• describing how belonging to First Nations Australian cultural groups contributes to identities
• exploring examples of cultural practices, including those of Australians of Asian heritage, that recognise the contributions of family and friends to identities
• explaining how personal and cultural identities are influenced by the groups and communities to which we belong
• describing personal achievements and sharing how they felt and how it influenced their personal identities

AC9HP2P02 9.0 (Health and Physical Education Year 1,Year 2): Identify and explore skills and strategies to develop respectful relationships

• identifying characters in texts who demonstrate respect and cooperation to develop respectful relationships
• identifying characters in texts who demonstrate respect for different types of families and carers, including those of different cultures, abilities or compositions
• demonstrating appropriate language (including verbal, non-verbal, body language and gestures) when encouraging and including others in physical activities, when completing movement tasks or practising for performance
• discussing strategies we can use to show respect to First Nations Australians and acknowledge difference using appropriate language
• describing behaviours that may cause hurt or harm to others, or cause them to feel disrespected, including verbal and physical forms of bullying

AC9HP2P03 9.0 (Health and Physical Education Year 1,Year 2): Identify how different situations influence emotional responses

• recognising own emotions and demonstrating ways to manage how they express their emotions in different situations
• exploring self-regulation strategies to manage emotional responses
• identifying situations that may trigger strong emotional responses in themselves and others, and recognising the impact the responses can have on others
• identifying how someone might feel, think and act during an emergency through role-play and imaginative play
• predicting how a person or character might be feeling based on the words they use, their facial expressions and body language
• recognising how self and others are feeling in a range of situations

About The Book

Stay for Dinner is a powerful story from multi-award-winning creators of The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name that celebrates culture and connection through food.

Reshma loves dinnertime with her family. Her family eat with their hands – not just finger food type–eating, but hands-on squishy eating. When she’s invited to stay for dinner at her friends’ homes, she finds out that they all eat in different ways. Some go ting ting with their cutlery, and others go click clack with their chopsticks.

What will her friends say when they see her family eat with their hands?

★ WINNER of the 2024 Multicultural NSW Award at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards ★
★ 2024 CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year ★
★ A Bookstagram Best Picture Book of 2023 ★
★Longlisted for the inaugural DANZ (Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand) Children’s Book Award ★

‘Stay for Dinner is a requirement on every bookshelf as a resource that teaches vital social skills and cultural appreciation—it’s a salve for everyday anxieties any child may feel in regards to fitting in with their peers. This picture book is a wonderful revelation of the true diversity evident within Australia.’ – Books+Publishing

‘The words and images [in Stay for Dinner] combine perfectly like a feast. This is an important book about many more things than food. It highlights the importance of family, friendship, community, diversity, and acceptance—as well as delicious cuisine. Stay for Dinner is a keeper, to be read over and over again, just for the fun of it.’ – Children’s Book Council Australia